Working Bufflehead Drake
Roy Conklin (1909-1967)
Alexandria Bay, NY c.1950's
12.5”
 
For roughly the last 20 years of Roy Conklin's life, both he and local Chippewa Bay carver William B. Aiken (1910-1998) spent many hours carving and painting together producing a conservatively estimated 300-400 decoys.  However their friendship started well before that.  They attended school together and both he and Roy played football in Alex Bay, with a photo of the duo pictured on page 201 in Larry Lunman's book 'Decoys of the Thousand Islands'.
 
William was much more of a wood worker and enjoyed crafting the decoys, while Roy, a recognized painter, would paint all of Williams decoys.  Noted decoy historian and friend of William's, Larry Lunman, said that "Roy and Bill would go back and forth about carving technique.  Though Bill mostly worked off of Roy's design, his bill carving details are different with less dramatic mandable lines".
 
As Larry recalls, "at some point in the late 50's, Roy had made this Bufflehead and Bill held onto it.  Stamping his classic 'W.B. Aiken' brand into the bottom a couple times.  His good friend Roy passed way too early in life and Bill held onto it until I aqcuired it from him".
 
Condition:  Near mint with some light surface wear.
 
Provenance:
Bill Aiken acquired direct from artistLarry Lunman acquired from above
 
Literature: Jim Stewart and Larry Lunman, "Decoys of the Thousand Islands," Erin, Ontario, 1992, p. 202, related decoy illustrated.
 
 
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